Why We Invested in BNTO

Over the last two decades, the rise of social media and the influencer economy drove a surge in online shopping, as users chased trends they saw over and over again on their feeds. Shoppers wanted to recreate what they saw online, rotating their closets and styles at a pace we hadn’t seen before. For consumers to achieve their aspirational personal style while staying in-budget, they initially turned to fast fashion, resale platforms (like Poshmark* and Depop), and rental platforms (like Rent the Runway, Nuuly, and Vivrelle). 

Studying the intersection of ecommerce and social media as an investor in TikTok* and RedNote*, I've seen firsthand how social platforms fundamentally changed the way consumers discover and shop for products. What’s becoming apparent is that younger shoppers have a fundamentally different approach to curating and maintaining their style, preferring access over ownership. Gen Z expects to discover new styles effortlessly, access affordable options, and make choices that align with their values. BNTO is the first platform to seamlessly integrate new purchases, rentals, and resale into one consumer-focused experience that surfaces not only what users want, but how they should access it and at what price point. This is why we’re excited to back Sixuan Li and lead BNTO’s Series A funding. 

From our investments in Poshmark* and Affirm*, I've seen how traditional retail and fashion models force consumers to juggle platforms and compare across sites only to leave it in the hands of the shopper whether the best option is to buy new, used, or rent. Meanwhile, customer data ends up siloed and no platform is able to understand the full picture of a customer’s preferences. BNTO solves this problem by combining all three consumption models—new, rental, and resale—into a single, intuitive platform. Imagine a wardrobe tailored to your personal style, offering new pieces to buy, trendy items to rent, and well-loved staples to discover—all accessible with a few clicks. 

By breaking down the silos between new, rental, and resale, BNTO is delivering an experience that’s flexible, affordable, and aspirational. BNTO is capitalizing on the growing demand for affordable fashion that doesn’t compromise on quality or experience. Especially for Gen Z, style isn’t just about affordability—it’s about discovery, sustainability, and personal expression. BNTO’s platform delivers on all fronts. With AI recommendations, BNTO helps users curate their dream closets at a price point they feel comfortable with. All for less than the cost of a new pair of jeans.

Building both an incredibly personalized front end user experience and managing a global supply chain that enables access to the highest quality goods at the most reasonable price point is incredibly challenging, and that's part of why BNTO’s AI-driven supply chain management system is so compelling. This solution manages the operational complexity of rental, retail, and resale at scale—which in a pre-AI world, would have required a multi-billion dollar infrastructure to make it possible. We’ve seen the rise of affordable shopping alternatives like Wish and Amazon, who capitalize on accessing the global supply chain to deliver new products of varying quality at a fraction of the cost consumers would have paid before—but often at the cost of the user experience or quality control. BNTO is now using AI to deliver both the supply chain management and a better user experience through product recommendations.

Great companies are built by exceptional founders, and Sixuan Li is a standout in this regard. Her journey from award-winning journalist to entrepreneur reflects her resourcefulness, vision, and ability to execute. Sixuan’s focus on combining next-generation supply chain infrastructure with a deep understanding of consumer needs is what makes BNTO so compelling. Under her leadership, BNTO has rapidly developed an extensive technology back-end to power a superior customer experience with stronger margins, including a proprietary warehouse management system, AI-powered private-label design software, and personalization. Sixuan and her team have demonstrated an impressive ability to iterate quickly, solve complex challenges, and maintain a sharp focus on delighting the customer.

The retail industry is at a crossroads, and BNTO is leading the way forward. For consumers, BNTO represents access to a better, smarter way to build their wardrobe. For brands, it offers a way to connect with younger audiences while minimizing waste and optimizing their supply chains.